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Forum - View topicQ re: social/criminal ramifications of bootlegs...
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Steve Berry
Posts: 522 Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA |
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Ok, so we all know bootlegs are evil.
Now, I know that the big thing is that we should be supporting distributers of anime in the states by buying their legal products. This I get. The more we buy, the more profits that are made, and thus the more anime that is brought here at a higher production value. Which is good for us. But you know, I've also heard tell of how we're supporting big, super-evil criminal elements in HK or such if we buy a bootleg from there. Obviously, its criminal in the sense that teh activity "doesn't abide by our laws," but I've also heard that it's criminal in, say, that bootleggers are also running prostitution, drugs, etc. and that one would be supporting all those elements as well through your purchase of one of the many, say, 3 DVD Cowboy Bebop sets out there. Now, I've got a few bootlegs myself, basically from when I was starting up my collection and didn't know better, with a few exceptions for things that aren't liscensed in the states, so I'm not totally "clean" or anything, but I never felt any sort of moral shame that I might have been supporting huge crime syndicates or such with my purchase of a bootleg. Knowing better now, I'd rather I had bought the domestic release to support legit companies, but beyond that....... I never felt bad. So, my question is, is there any real evidence of bootleggers running other "harder" criminal activities, or are these just guys printing out DVD's and such in a wharehouse somewhere in HK to make a quick buck?? I mean, it's so prevalent in HK (I lived there myself for a year), that I never felt like it was really considered criminal in any way, so I wasn't really sure why it would attract any sort of "hard" criminal activity... rather than more of the "petty" criminal element. I'm not really trying to belittle the criminal act of bootlegging-- it's still against the law, and still siphons money from legit domestic companies that are giving us good subtitling, an occasional good dub (IMO), and good production value. Those are all things I support. I'm just looking for real evidence to point to on the subject re: bootleggers running "harder" criminal activity to find out if this is really very true or not. I just want to feel that my opinion is based on some sort of hard facts or intelligent research. Does anyone know of articles or sites or research on this specific aspect of the "bootleggers" topic?? Thanks. Steve |
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eva05
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Well quite frankly almost every major corporation is tied to some sort of horrible activity some place.
Deforesting, child labor staffed factories, workers paid less than a few cents a day, anti-competitive practices (aka monopolistic tendencies), support of ultra-right wing/nationalist organizations, etc etc It's impossible to escape the vicious circle. j |
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Steve Berry
Posts: 522 Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA |
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Ok..... debatable, but lets go with it for a minute.
Are you therefore saying that it's fine to buy bootlegs (on moral grounds), since American anime production and distribution companies are no cleaner "morally speaking" than foreign bootlegging companies?? |
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space clam
Posts: 636 |
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I don't know of any "hard evidence" you seek, but it's hard to tell where your dollars are going. They may be going to buy pizza for little nerd living in his mom's house, or they may be going straight to Al Capone's wallet, so to speak. I'd say that if bootlegged anime was giving a sizable support to crime syndicates, there would be tougher laws in place against it. (Meaning, you wouldn't see it on sale on Ebay.)This topic reminds me of the commercials saying, "Mary indirectly killed a child by smoking a dime bag." Cause and effect is difficult to determine, not so much with illegal activity, but difficult nonetheless. It's that whole "butterfly effect" thing(that movie will probably suck, BTW) I would say stay away from bootlegs, and keep your friends away, too.
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Iscariot
 Posts: 86 |
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Friend of mine buys bootleg anime over some site ,really cheap but I dont support that because in the long run you kill business companies and then everyone wonders why large companies go bankrupt. Sooner or later when no one buys anything anymore no new anime will be made because they won't really be making any money.
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gnollman
 Posts: 535 Location: Richmond, KY |
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Technically, possession of bootleg goods is illegal... I doubt the Feds are going to do much about your bootleg anime, but I do know that they crack down on this stuff in Japan from time to time.
I wouldn't be surprised if the various crime syndicates in HK or Taiwan were profitting off of bootlegging in a big way.... Which is why you should buy legit... if you can't afford it, get a job. |
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Steve Berry
Posts: 522 Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA |
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Well, trust me, I've got a job, am a working adult, and frankly, there are times that I can't afford it.
Still, just to say that anime is supporting druglords or what not, and give no proof, that's not a very convincing arguement. BTW, my apologies that there are two threads running on this topic. I posted this thread originally and it got almost no response. I waited for it to slide off the front page, before reposting the subject as a less "esoteric" question, but now we've got two threads going. Perhaps ANN can choose which thread to lock? Thanks. Steve |
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gnollman
Posts: 535 Location: Richmond, KY |
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Then don't buy it. Or save your money and buy it later. Easy and simple... My collection grew very slowly, too, until I got a better paying job. If you love it, don't buy bootlegs. End of story. |
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Steve Berry
Posts: 522 Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA |
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Ok, rather than getting anoyed or grumpy, let me try a change of tactics-- lets say I totally agree with you, that that's it, end of story, and bootlegs shouldn't be being bought if I'm a fan of anime.
I, however, would like to be able to convince others that their hard earned money is worth spending on anime at 20-30$ a DVD (definitely more than most movies or a mini-series on DVD that I find). For many people, the moral implications are important, much more so in fact that the simple financial ins and outs, and thus I would like to be able to discuss in a detailed way with them about what happens to our money when we support bootlegging-- does it have larger, moral, ethical ramifications? i.e. is our money serving more than just a bootlegger but, as before, prostitution, drug laundering, etc. Do you have any evidence with factual backing that actually lends creedence to the arguement that "the various crime syndicates in HK or Taiwan were profitting off of bootlegging in a big way.... "? Some people don't see things as black and white as you seem to, and I'd like to be able to defend spending habits re: anime in a way that would persuade others. |
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gnollman
Posts: 535 Location: Richmond, KY |
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Nope. If I did I'd have posted something by now.
Bootlegs are illegal. Bootlegs are bad. That's all the moral superiority I need to lecture.... |
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Carol Maxwell
 Posts: 359 |
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Hit the nail on the head their gnollman. But, adding a bit to this anyway, if you really love your anime, you'll buy the legal copies, then you know that the money is going to bring about better animes.
There are always going to get times when you can't get anime. I know this. But, when you can, get the legal copies. |
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Steve Berry
Posts: 522 Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA |
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Look, I guess this isn't a good topic of conversation here.
Above, in the very first post of this thread, I said that "Ok, so we all know bootlegs are evil. Now, I know that the big thing is that we should be supporting distributers of anime in the states by buying their legal products. This I get. The more we buy, the more profits that are made, and thus the more anime that is brought here at a higher production value. Which is good for us." I don't need a lecture about why I should buy domestic releases. I already buy domestic releases. I already think I should buy domestic releases. I already said that I do in this very thread. ::sigh:: Sorry. What I'm interested in was finding out about the inner workings of bootlegging in places like HK and Taiwain and Singapore, etc. I find the moral ambiguity interesting I guess. Some other people do too, and sometimes when one can intelligently discuss the topic to people, they find that that is a good arguement against buying bootlegs. For some people it isn't as black and white, whatever you personally might feel. I was simply looking for some input on the subject to increase my knowledge on it. ::ARRRGGHH!!:: 'Nuff said. |
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king_micah
 Posts: 994 Location: OSU |
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I was watching a report from dateline about counterfiters, and the big thing is the pipelines that they get into this nation are the same ones that drug and human smugglers use. The bootlegs and counterfit Gucchi bags are bread and butter that let them ship other materials with them. The NYPD thinks virutially all the profits for these sales go to the various mobs that control the rackets. I, though, don't have the links to prove this at this time.
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